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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24858262">Hungover Revelations</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManyOctopodes/pseuds/ManyOctopodes'>ManyOctopodes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Best Friends, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, How Do I Tag, Love Confessions, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:06:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>874</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24858262</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManyOctopodes/pseuds/ManyOctopodes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony has a realisation, Rhodey just has a headache</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>116</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hungover Revelations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Kind of threw this together in about half an hour after it came to me during a daytime nap. Hope it's readable!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jim wasn't quite asleep, just drifting in that half dreaming state where sounds still came in, and trying to sink further into his rest. An attempt that was thwarted by a sudden clatter and a thump of something weighty across his body. </p>
<p>"Ugh," he grunted and then changed into a heartfelt groan as waking reminded him of his rather enthusiastic drinking the night before by the rolls of a pounding headache and the nausea that was exacerbated by the weight still on his stomach.</p>
<p>Squinting his eyes open a little, he was entirely unsurprised to see his best friend sprawled across his chest and gazing solemnly at him. </p>
<p>"Tones, seriously. We're not kids now and I need to sleep forever until this hangover goes away. I can't just bounce any more."</p>
<p>"I know, Rhodey," he said, grinning unrepentantly, "but I had a revelation and I thought I needed to share it with you."</p>
<p>At that, Jim opened his eyes a little further and focused on trying to wake up more. Tony's ideas and revelations veered wildly between fascinating little insights and explosive international incidents, so it was generally a good idea to at least pay some attention, if only so he wasn't completely blindsided by it later.</p>
<p>Lying there patiently with what he was sure was an expression of utmost resignation across his face, he watched Tony pick at the sheets with his fingers with a thoughtful look for a while before he took a deep breath and lifted his head to make eye contact with his friend.</p>
<p>"So, I love you."</p>
<p>Jim just frowned in confusion, waiting for more. When nothing was said, he realised he would have to say it out loud. </p>
<p>"We've been best friends for decades, Tones. I love you too."</p>
<p>Tony snorted and rolled sideways, ending up on his back beside Jim, head turned so he could still make eye contact.</p>
<p>"No, no. Bad phrasing on my part. I've loved you forever, sure, but I'm, um, in love with you. Completely and utterly non-platonic kind of love."</p>
<p>He wrinkled his nose and shrugged as awkwardly as one does when lying flat on their back, then relaxed so he was gazing at the ceiling.</p>
<p>Jim, rather less relaxed, sat up quickly in a move he regretted a moment later as his body reminded him quite how ill he was feeling and he put his head on his knees to just breathe through it, while thinking rapidly about what his best friend had just told him.</p>
<p>Of course Tony would choose a terrible time to tell him this. His infuriating best friend with his eternal well of ideas and lack of patience was never one to wait for long, although, now Jim stopped to think of it for a minute, he recalled the years of pining between Tony and Pepper before the start of their short lived relationship, not to mention countless crushes the man had whined about when they were both a lot younger and a lot more naive. Times where he was decidedly unwilling to move to a relationship and was more than willing to just live life unresolved.  Jim opened his eyes and peered sideways, surprised to see that Tony was still relaxed and calm, lying on Jim's rumpled bed.</p>
<p>"You seem very calm about this," he said suspiciously.</p>
<p>Tony waved his hand in a vague manner and spoke airily, "You're my Rhodey-bear and you always will be. Why panic when I know you'll still be my best friend, whatever happens? I mean, let's face it, couldn't be the most awkward thing that's ever happened between us."</p>
<p>Jim burst out laughing and, with more care than his last movement, lowered himself back to the bed where he rolled onto his side and watched the smile flickering on Tony's lips.</p>
<p>"Tony," he spoke more seriously, "are you serious about this?"</p>
<p>"As serious as I've ever been in my life, Platypus."</p>
<p>"Then," Jim said, watching closely enough to see the very slight tension in Tony's body as he waited for a reply, "I really think you could have tried harder for a better time to have a revelation. Really, dude, I have a massive headache and probably fatal morning breath, plus I'm way too tired right now to do anything but sleep."</p>
<p>"So?" Tony asked with an oddly soft and very hopeful expression on his face. </p>
<p>"So, Tones, we're going to go back to sleep for a while and, when we wake up, I'm going to have a shower and brush my teeth and then see about kissing you silly. Does that seem fair?"</p>
<p>Without waiting for a reply, Jim reached his arm over his friend's body and dragged him closer, tucking him in against his stomach and bending forward to burrow his nose into the chaos that was Tony's hairstyle, into the soft mess that he'd wanted to touch for so long. Tony sighed and relaxed, his body almost oozing into the mattress as he breathed out his tension and nestled into Jim's arms.</p>
<p>"Oh, and Tony?" Jim muttered after a long and pleasant pause where both men were beaming happily to themselves at finally taking a step that was definitely long overdue. " I'm in love with you too. "</p>
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